The 15 best Netflix original shows of 2016, according to critics

Netflix is pumping out so many shows these days, it’s hard to keep track of which ones are worth your time.

To help out, we put together a list of the best Netflix series that released new episodes in 2016. This list included old favourites that had new seasons this year, like “Orange Is the New Black,” or blockbuster newcomers like “The Crown.”

It left off some popular Netflix shows that are still going but didn’t get any updates in 2016 — “Marvel’s Jessica Jones” for instance.

How did we construct the ranking?

To get a sense of how Netflix’s 2016 shows stacked up against one another, we turned to the reviews aggregator Metacritic, which pulls in critic (and audience) reviews from all over the world. We looked only at dramas and comedies Netflix had originated (not co-produced or taken over). Then we picked 16 ones that got the best combined critics ratings.

There were a few surprises in the data. Cult mega-hit “Stranger Things” was only in the middle of the pack, while “Lady Dynamite,” which has relatively little buzz, was a critical darling.

Here are the shows that made the cut, along with their rating, and a description:

No. 15: 'The OA' -- 61/100

Netflix; Facebook

Brit Marling stars on Netflix's 'The OA.'

Average critic score: 61/100

Audience score: 7.0/10

Netflix description: Seven years after vanishing from her home, a young woman returns with mysterious new abilities and recruits five strangers for a secret mission.

No. 14: 'Sense8' -- 63/100

Netflix

'Sense8' stars Tina Desai and Max Riemelt.

Average critic score: 63/100

Audience score: 8.2/10

Netflix description: Their gift of telepathic communication made them targets for extermination. But it's the one thing keeping them alive.

Note: Sense8's first season came out in 2015, but Netflix released a Christmas special so it was eligible.

No. 13: 'Bloodline' -- 67.5/100

Saeed Adyani/Netflix

Average critic score: 67.5/100

Audience score: 8.1/10

Netflix description: The Rayburns seem to have the perfect life in their lovely Florida town. But nobody's perfect -- especially the Rayburns.

No. 12: 'The Get Down' -- 69/100

Netflix

Average critic score: 69/100

Audience score: 7.6/10

Netflix description: In 1977 New York City, the talented and soulful youth of the South Bronx chase dreams and breakneck beats to transform music history.

No. 11: 'Marvel's Daredevil' -- 71.5/100

Netflix

Average critic score: 71.5/100

Audience score: 8.8/10

Netflix description: A boyhood accident blinded him. But now he can 'see' even better. And he doesn't like what's going on in Hell's Kitchen.

No. 10: 'Love' -- 72/100

Netflix

Average critic score: 72/100

Audience score: 7.5/10

Netflix description: It's awkward. It's impossible. It's infuriating. And it may just be the best thing that's ever happened to them.

No. 9: 'Stranger Things' -- 76/100

Netflix

Average critic score: 76/100

Audience score: 9.0/10

Netflix description: When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.

No. 4: 'The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' -- 80/100

Netflix description: What's a Midwest girl to do after she's spent the last 15 years trapped underground? Move to New York City, of course.

No. 3: 'The Crown' -- 81/100

Robert Viglasky/Netflix

Claire Foy and Matt Smith as Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Philip, on 'The Crown.'

Average critic score: 81/100

Audience score: 8.7/100

Netflix description: This drama follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century.

No. 2: 'Orange Is the New Black' -- 84.3/100

Netflix

Average critic score: 84.3/100

Audience score: 8.2/10

Netflix description: Piper Chapman doesn't deserve her prison sentence. Of course, every one of her fellow inmates thinks the same thing.

No. 1: 'Lady Dynamite' -- 85/100

Netflix

Average critic score: 85/100

Audience score: 6.7/10

Netflix description: Comedian Maria Bamford stars in a series inspired by her own life. It's the sometimes surreal story of a woman who loses -- and then finds -- her s**t.

NOW WATCH: Tech Insider videos

Want to read a more in-depth view on the trends influencing Australian business and the global economy? BI / Research is designed to help executives and industry leaders understand the major challenges and opportunities for industry, technology, strategy and the economy in the future. Sign up for free at research.businessinsider.com.au.